“How stupid. These guys think they are going to get rid of Medicare and Social Security. That’s not going to happen.”
This was Betty Anne McCaskill speaking on a video played at the campaign celebration for her daughter, U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, at the Chase Park Plaza on Tuesday night.
“These guys” are Republicans like Congressman Todd Akin and Paul Ryan, and Betty Ann – who died just days before her daughter’s reelection at age 84 – was right about their electoral fate in 2012.
Claire McCaskill beat Akin soundly, with the election called before most urban districts, where most Democrats vote, had reported.
“Mom, we finally won rural Missouri,” McCaskill said when she took the podium at the Chase.
“Legitimately!” someone yelled from the crowd – a reference to Akin’s bizarre claim that victims of “legitimate rape” had the power to void a pregnancy without undergoing an abortion.
“You wanted nothing more complicated than a government that reflects your values,” McCaskill told the crowd, which was very diverse by race, gender and age.
With 2781 of 3387 precincts reporting, McCaskill had 1,166,340 votes to Akin’s 938,492. That’s 51.9 percent to 41.8 percent.
“Six more years!” McCaskill pumped her fist at the end of her brief remarks.
Though Akin retained his seat in the Congress, his presidential ticket with Mitt Romney also was defeated, with CNN calling the reelection of President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden early in the night.
Gov. Jay Nixon won his reelection handily over Republican challenger Dave Pence. With 3073 of 3380 precincts reporting, Nixon had 1,328,776 (54.3 percent) votes to 1,052,937 (43 percent).